ZUKIWORLD Online | Suzuki 4x4 Editorial and Forum
ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: Digger on September 27, 2005, 07:22:48 PM
-
Yesterday, TOTAL CARNAGE and I went for a road trip to pick up a Suzuki LJ we bought from a member on Zukiworld. Here's a picture story of the trip...
We headed out in the rain early afternoon and made pretty good time, especially considering we were towing an empty tow dolly(and when they are empty, they bounce... A LOT...). We stopped at the New River Bridge for a stretch along the way:
(http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL72/842221/8416704/113265701.jpg)
Walking back to the tow-rig:
(http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL72/842221/8416704/113265691.jpg)
The trip had us traveling from near Uniontown, PA, to York, SC for the pick up, just under 500 miles one way. We rolled into York right at 11PM. We met the owners, bought the LJ and loaded it up on the dolly. Having never seen one of these Little Jeeps in person, it was kinda neat looking all through it. These things are LITTLE! LOL! Anyways, at midnight we were loaded up and ready to hit the road:
(http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL72/842221/8416704/113265664.jpg)
We weren't even clear of the driveway when we heard an awful scrapping/grinding noise coming from the LJ. We had disconnected the driveshaft, so that couldn't be it. It must just be the brake shoes dragging in rusty drums, it should go away soon...
Well, less than 5 miles down the road, it became clear that it wasn't going away, so we pulled into a closed gas station to check it out. After jacking up each rear wheel, we determined that it was the right that was causing the problem; we could barely turn it by hand! :o
(http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL72/842221/8416704/113265684.jpg)
(http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL72/842221/8416704/113265683.jpg)
So I pulled the drum off to investigate and found this:
(http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL72/842221/8416704/113265675.jpg)
These are what looks to be the star adjusters and pistons from the brake cylinders, just floating around freely in the drum, no shoes to be found. Two of the pieces had gotten wedged between the remains of the brake cylinders and the drum and were causing the grinding. While I was fixing this, TC crawled under the truck and discovered that the rear axle's pinion housing was getting really warm. It had oil, but was still running kinda warm...
Oh well, easy fix! Back on the road we go! Maybe it was just the dragging wheel that caused the heat...
(http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL72/842221/8416704/113265671.jpg)
We stopped every so often along the trip back and checked the rear diff. While it was still warm, it never got any warmer, so we figured it must be doing ok... Since the LJ has a top speed of only around 55MPH, we self-imposed a speed limit of no more than 60mph, not wanting to push the Little Jeep faster than it was ever designed to go. This made for a long trip home...
Just outside of Wytheville, we pulled into a TA Travel Center for a fuel stop. As we were pulling off the ramp, the dome lights went on and the road got really noisy behind us. We turned around to see this:
(http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL72/842221/8416704/113265661.jpg)
The back hatch of the van popped open by itself! Luckily it happened at slow speed, not on the freeway! LOL! We still don't know how it happened for sure, but no harm...
I found a bumper sticker for my Kick Project at the truck stop:
(http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL72/842221/8416704/113265655.jpg)
I just HAD to have it! LOL! ;)
-
Back on the road again, we watched the sun come up as we kept driving. We pulled into a Burger King and checked the straps and stretched our legs:
(http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL72/842221/8416704/113265650.jpg)
Everything seemed to be riding fine, so we kept going.
Last stop before home:
(http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL72/842221/8416704/113265649.jpg)
That's TC checking the diff temp again.
The Little Jeep is finally at it's new home, after 24 hours and almost 1000 miles round trip. It will be popping up on here more later, but for now it's nap time! LOL!!!
-
kool to see one that still looks original ( except the paint job? ).. nice find
-
Very nice!
-
Nice story... You should be a writer!
-Eric
-
wow,I WANT one! ;D ;D ;D ;D
Good luck on that little one! ;D
-
So jealous >:(
;D
Any idea on what the plans are?
-
So jealous >:(
;D
Any idea on what the plans are?
I'm thinking he should cross it with a 97 Tracker ;D A wide track LWB LJ W/ IFS and EFI 8)
Zig
-
So jealous >:(
;D
Any idea on what the plans are?
I'm thinking he should cross it with a 97 Tracker ;D A wide track LWB LJ W/ IFS and EFI 8)
Zig
IFS on an LJ would make me sad :(
All independant would be kinda cool, though ;)
-
Nice find. Theres one near me for sale in mint nick too that I keep thinking about http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Suzuki/auction-36157433.htm I could probably pick it up for $2500 NZ. I was tempted the other week to buy it but opted to save the life of the Sammy I got instead.
Man it's hard trying to rescue all the unwanted Suzuki's in the world, but I'm doing my best ;D
BTW if any ones got enough $$$ and wants to buy it and export it to the USA I'm more than willing to do the deal at this end for ya for no cost to save it for a life of running around farms in cow crap ;D Remember thou it is RH drive !
-
Right hand drive would be great for US paper carriers and letter carriers because the paper and mail boxes are much easier to reach from the right side of the car!
We're not sure what we're going to do with it yet, but we knew we wanted it. TC and I live over an hour apart from each other and we both saw the LJ ad and started telling each other about it at the same time! LOL! We figured we had to get it and add it to our growing stash of suzuki vehichles...
-
our growing stash of suzuki vehichles...
I know what thats like, I had 6 on the yard the other day sold one and now I have 7, work that one out ;D ;D ;D
-
Here's the LJ sitting comfortably at it's new home. It's gotten a wash and new headlights and seems happy sitting next to a couple relatives:
(http://pic5.picturetrail.com/VOL72/842221/8416704/113435270.jpg)
-
Hey, what happened to the hood? isn't it supposed to sit like this ???:
(http://www.xs4all.nl/~haroldb/home/uit4wdmag2.jpg)
-
Hey, what happened to the hood? isn't it supposed to sit like this ???:
([url]http://www.xs4all.nl/~haroldb/home/uit4wdmag2.jpg[/url])
That front clip looks slightly different, and that's a completely different hood. Maybe that's why the two sit different :P
-
Jup it is, could be the diference between US LJ80's and EU based ones ;)
-
Plus this is a LJ20, not an 80